February 7, 2026
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"I have something to work up to now versus being at the top of the NCAA. Now I have, 'I need to improve by ten seconds if I want to be up there at USAs.' That kind of excites me. It's a little scary, but it's mostly exciting."
Margot Appleton is a Massachusetts native now running for the home team. She has joined Team New Balance Boston and is being coached by Mark Coogan.
At Virginia, she was an NCAA finalist in the 1500m, stepped up to finish fourth in the 5000m at nationals, and then this spring put together a breakout campaign that included a 4:05.68 1500m at Raleigh Relays—fourth-fastest in NCAA history at the time—an ACC title, and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships.
Margot is comfortable moving between distances and is continuing to sharpen herself against the very best in the country. At just 23 years old, it still feels like she’s learning how good she can be. She is coming off personal bests in the 3000m and the mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and the Millrose Games. She was the second American and 6th overall in the Wanamaker mile.
In this conversation, we talk about her decision to join the refreshed Team New Balance Boston squad, what clicked this past season, how she thinks about racing at championship meets, and what her goals are for 2026.
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Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Margot Appleton | @margotappleton on Instagram
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on Instagram
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Chris Chavez
Chris Chavez launched CITIUS MAG in 2016 as a passion project while working full-time for Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and grew his humble blog into a multi-pronged media company. He completed all six World Marathon Majors and on Feb. 15th, 2025 finally broke five minutes for the mile.
